Hi Everyone!
As we head into the heart of winter
remember to be ready for any situation. Around New Zealand we have
been facing flooding, tornadoes and heavy swells out at sea over the
past month and it is vital we are all prepared in an emergency.
Now is a great
time to update your Civil Defence kits so in any emergency you can get
ready and get through!
The Ministry for Ethnic Communities
Over the last few weeks the Government have 'established' a
Ministry for Ethnic Communities. It is in substance barely differing
from the former Office of Ethnic Communities and I have grave concerns
it won't pass muster to provide support needed for New Zealand's
multicultural society.
I provided my thoughts in a column to the Indian
Weekender that I've repeated below (Note: this ran on 30
June):
On Thursday morning amidst filter
coffee and scones at Parliament the Office of Ethnic Communities will
transform into the Ministry
for Ethnic Communities. It will have a similar budget, almost all
the same staff and responsibilities with the main crowning difference
being that the head of the agency will bloom from being a mere
‘executive director’ into the formidable ‘chief executive’ with all
the trappings it entails.
Simply put, the Ministry is a paper
tiger. It is limp, it won’t see any new and exciting developments for
ethnic communities and will still be sitting within the wider
Department of Internal Affairs corporate services umbrella. We have
seen no website, no strategic plans for this new Ministry and
lacklustre consultation that was terribly advertised and ill planned
many across New Zealand’s diverse ethnic communities. Many are deeply
concerned at the lack of mana or effectiveness Labour’s proposed
Ministry will have under the first ever Ethnic Communities Minister to
be outside of Cabinet since the inception of the portfolio.
Our Ethnic Communities just want to
see real respect and equal engagement opportunities to help facilitate
the growth of our cultures and communities to belong. The Ministry
Labour have created won’t achieve that. Ethnic New Zealanders are
being disrespected by Labour but that’s nothing new.
This Government treated ethnic
businesses and families as second class citizens during COVID-19. From
systematic discrimination in their
refusal for ethnic food stores to remain open during lockdown last
year to being the last cab off the rank for media support and
information services in their public media funding. It is appalling
the Office of Ethnic Communities failed to step up at the time. It’s
appalling the Government isn’t stepping up now and they can’t even
blame NZ First for their failure.
The Government is still failing to
provide timely information and services to communities as Wellington
sits in Level 2 and constant anxiety exists across New Zealand
regarding the future of our border, immigration
settings and the economy, all issues of incredible importance to
ethnic New Zealanders, particularly recent migrants with family
overseas. There is no indication this will change in the Government’s
plan for a Ministry.
The reason why I raise these
concerns at the outset of the establishment of the Ministry is simple.
Whether it is COVID-19, the impact of deep political divides
internationally or a continuation of existing prejudices from our
nation’s history, once again in New Zealand there is a growing feeling
of intolerance among certain communities for those from ethnic and
migrant backgrounds that is feeding into bad decision making and law
changes by this Government such as the dystopian and misleading
proposals regarding
the future of hate speech and content regulation that would stifle
rather than aid a real national conversation to be facilitated for the
betterment of our nation.
I’ve been called a Chinese spy (BTW
I’m Korean!) I’ve been told to go back to Korea, China, India and even
Australia, a former Political leader has named me Pyongyang and above
all, on an almost daily basis despite being a 5th term
elected Member of New Zealand’s Parliament I’ve received the stares
and sideways glances as to what I’m doing here in our Houses of
Parliament or on the streets of our country.
It isn’t an elephant in the room
that New Zealand still has a problem with racism. It’s an open secret.
In fact it’s beyond open we know of it and as a society we say it
isn’t us. The number of calls and vitriolic insults I and my office
have gotten that have started with “I’m not a racist but…” would
boggle the mind of many Kiwis and we need to think what the rationale
is for even making these comments in a diverse society that is growing
ever more multicultural with each generation.
Our Government needs to give Ethnic
Communities respect and an agency that will do a real job representing
and supporting the needs of Ethnic New Zealanders. Again, I contend
this sham of a ‘Ministry for Ethnic Communities’ will be a paper tiger
without the real autonomy other Ministry such as Women and Pacific
Peoples hold – it will still be a corporate arm of the Department of
Internal Affairs without the real ‘mana’ required to get things done.
In effect it will be business as usual and the Ministry won’t even
have a Minister at the Cabinet table to argue our case. We need a real
Ministry with better outreach to educate and influence. New Zealand
has a diverse wonder in our population of cultures that can only
enhance our nation’s future.
What do you say?
Community Meetings with Scott Simpson MP
It was a pleasure to welcome good colleague and friend Scott
Simpson, MP for Coromandel and National Spokesperson for Workplace
Relations into Mt Albert for meeting with the community and Chinese
Business leaders on the Government's shocking Fair
Pay Agreement policies.
Scott outlined a number of concerns National has around
the interventionist policies being pushed by the Labour Government in
particular, the power of a small group of employees to affect the
salaries and work conditions of the majority.
National believes in practical ways to do business and get New
Zealanders working. These changes will not be for the better of any
workers, job providers or the economy and we've
committed to repealing them when National returns to
Government.
Thanks Scott for coming to town!
  
On Monday I joined National Party Leader Judith Collins as we
announced the National Demand the Debate Campaign in Auckland.
The Government are failing to consult with the people of New
Zealand around a wide array of policies that they simple do not have
the mandate to undertake without a proper Nationwide conversation
about the future of our country. When the Government is making
important decisions they never campaigned on without adequate
consultation it's just not good enoguh and every week, the National
Caucus are contacted by countless Kiwis who are concerned they don’t
have a say in the future of their country anymore.
If you are concerned about the future of New Zealand please go to
demandthedebate.nz
and make sure to signup to have your voice heard!
 
Melissa's Vlog
Each sitting week I sit down with a
fellow Member of the National Party Caucus to discuss the stories of
the day and what's been going on in the House in my Conversation Vlog
series.
We cover everything from Free Speech to Immigration to the Budget
so make sure to tune in!
Tune in through the Link below:
Office contact details
My Office phone number is 09 520
0538 - please feel free to contact my
office if I and my team can help you with any issues.
My Postal Address is PO Box 74271 Greenlane Auckland
1546 for any Auckland based correspondence.
Remember you can always send postage free to my Wellington Office
in Parliament at: Office of Melissa Lee MP,
Freepost, Parliament Buildings, Private Bag 18888, Wellington
6160
My Email address at [email protected] remains
the same and is regularly monitored.
Until next time!
==
Melissa Lee
National List MP based in
Auckland
Authorised by Melissa Lee Parliament Buildings,
Wellington
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